Gogoi Orders Inquiry Into Firing by Nagaland Police

Guwahati, Sep 16 : Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has ordered an inquiry into the firing and assault by Nagaland police in upper Assam's Golaghat district on Wednesday in which over 20 people were injured, some of them seriously.

He has also asked the district administration to immediately file a report on the incident, official sources said.

Meanwhile, All Assam Students Union (AASU) today staged a sit-in in front of the district deputy commissioner's office protesting against the incident and demanding action against the erring Nagaland police personnel.

About 1500 protesters belonging to AASU, various local organisations and women units had yesterday staged a road blockade on NH 39 to protest against lack of security in the Assam-Nagaland border areas.

As the protesters were agitating a convoy of five cars belonging to Nagaland police arrived at the spot and opened fire and assaulted them when they were stopped.

In the firing and assault 22 persons were injured and admitted to Golaghat civil hospital while two of them were referred to the Assam Medical College Hospital, Dibrugarh, the sources said.

Mary Kom Continues to Shine at World Championships

Bridgetown, Sep 16 : MC Mary Kom (48kg) remained firmly on course for a historic fifth successive gold by advancing to the semifinals along with Kavita (+81kg) to assure India of two medals in the sixth Women's World Championships.

Mary Kom beat Lynsey Holdaway from Wales 9-2 in the quarter-final to set up a clash with Alice Appari of the Philippines, whom she had beaten in their only face off six years ago.

The mother-of-two from Manipur took a narrow 2-1 lead in the opening round and built on it in the next two rounds to be 6-2 ahead by the third round. In the final round, Mary Kom launched an all-out attack to seal the issue in her favour.

"It was not all that tough for me. I had never faced her before but didn't have to slog too much. So far so good," the 27-year-old said after the bout.

"Despite the increased competition, I think I can still dominate my category. I am not bragging but it hasn't been very tough for me despite the fact that I have already played three rounds. My body is also feeling great," she said.

Talking about her next-round opponent, Mary Kom, who was conferred the Khel Ratna award last year, said, "I know this girl. I beat her in 2004 and hopefully even this time I would win. I will try my best. I have my fingers crossed for a fifth consecutive gold."

Dubbed 'Magnificent Mary' by the International Boxing Association, the Indian has the unique feat of having won a medal in each of the previous World Championships. She was silver-medallist in the inaugural edition and has not settled for anything less then a gold after that.
Among other Indians, Kavita too advanced to the semifinals by beating Adriana Hosu of Romania 9-6. She will face Kateryna Kuzhel of the Ukraine in the last-four stage on Friday.

But there was disappointment as well, with Laxmi Padiya (81kg) losing 4-18 to Kazakh Marina Volnova on Wednesday night.

The current edition of the World Championship features 72 countries. The increased competition has hit 2006 overall champions India rather hard with just two medals assured this time.

Suranjoy Aims For CWG Gold And Much More

By Gaurav Kanthwal

Was it a mere coincidence that a rustic lad from Uchiwa, 27km off Imphal, grew up to choose boxing as his vocation?

And was it providence that has made this 24-year-old a sailor by profession?

For Mayengbam Suranjoy Singh, it has to be both: coincidence because in a state where a sizeable population of youngsters still go astray to illiteracy, unemployment or insurgency; and providence, because in a landlocked place like Manipur, very few get to see the crests and troughs of life he has seen in the last six years.

From the height of being a bronze medallist in the 2004 Junior World Championships to the obscurity of a failed athlete in hiding and then again to the acme of being AIBA's Best Boxer of the year 2009, the Navy man has seen it all.

"It was a watershed year in my career. Of the six times I took the ring in an international competition, four times I returned with gold and once a bronze. The most memorable, of course, was the gold in Asian Boxing Championships for India after a gap of 15 years," the 2009 national champion fondly recalled.

What Suranjoy can never ever forget are those excruciating four years (2004 to 2008) when he got stuck in doldrums. The albatross of stagnation hung around his neck and frustration kept hovering around his being. No matter how hard he would try, there seemed no way out.

Niggling injuries, being dropped and at times bad luck - his miseries seemed unending.

But, the gritty sailor kept on charting unknown waters because he knew boxing, as is sailing, is a lonely sport and you cannot afford to lose hope.

Hope came as AIBA changed the format to three rounds of three minutes each and this time Suranjoy found the wind behind his sails. "The change in format turned the tide for me. It suited my aggressive style. I worked on my stamina and strength and remained positive even if I was losing initially. Luckily, by the end of 2008, results started pouring in."

The inherent advantage of being a southpaw and amazing reflexes lend an edge to his attacking and counterattacking game. "Off late, he has worked hard to pack power in his punches and that has made him even better," said Services coach C Kuttapa.

"He is focused and has a good chance of pulling it off in the CWG, if he fights to his potential. He won a gold in Commonwealth Championships in March this year and the competition is going to be more or less the same in Delhi. Still, he has to be cautious against new boxers in the fray," chief national coach Gurbax Singh Sandhu said.

Delhi Games may just be a stop over before Suranjoy moves on to the next and bigger destination in China ( Asian Games). But, Suranjoy's big ambition is to make a mark at the London Olympics two years from now.

X-factor
Don't go by the rankings - Suranjoy has been riding the crest for the past one year and winning medals with consistency. He even got a standing ovation after the final in a competition in Cuba this year for his aggressive skills and was awarded the 'Best Fighter' award. The form he is in, a standout show in Delhi Games is on the cards although he will have to keep a watch on Welsh opponent Daniel Chapman whom he defeated in the Commonwealth Championships semifinals this year.

Trivia
Belonging to Uchiwa village of Imphal district in Manipur, the flyweight boxer is popularly known as 'Chota Tyson' among his mates, after the legendary heavyweight. He has got the same looks, aggro and attitude inside the ring. Sporting tattoos on both shoulders - boxing gloves on his left and a fire-spewing dragon on the right - he says, "Sometimes, I just can't resist going all out after an opponent."

He took up the sport emulating his elder brother M Suranjit Singh, also a former international boxer.

M Suranjoy Singh World rank 13 (in 51kg)

Record:
2010:
- Commonwealth Boxing Championships, New Delhi Gold
- Training-cum-competition in Cuba Silver and 'Best Fighter' award
2009:
- Chemistry Cup Halle/Saale, Germany Bronze
- European GP in Usti Nad Labem, Czech Republic Gold
- Asian Boxing Championships in Zhuhai, China Gold
- The President's Cup in Baku, Azerbaijan Gold
- National Championship Winner in flyweight category
2008:
- Chemistry Cup Bronze
- World Military Championship Silver
2004:
- Junior World Championships Bronze.

Yamuna Swells Its Banks

A river in spate, the angry and overflowing Yamuna is now touching the foundation of the Taj Mahal, providing thousands of visitors to the 'Symbol of Love' a rare spectacle — "just the way the Mughal emperor Shah Jahan had wanted it to look." Heritage lover Sudhir Gupta said: "If the emperor had been alive and looking at the Taj from his confines in the fort he would have been mighty pleased, for that is how he had wanted it to look."

The river has bridged the gap between the foundation of the Taj and the main stream which had been distanced by an artificial park. "The original conceptual framework of the Taj Mahal considered Yamuna as an integral part and not as a separate entity. Water of the river should flow touching the rear foundation of the monument to keep the structure in good health," said Mughal historian R. Nath. IANS

An exile Buddhist monk walks though a flooded Tibetan market close to the Yamuna river in New Delhi. Early Wednesday, the water level in the Yamuna crossed 495 feet, submerging large parts of the controversial Taj Corridor project. AP

People use a boat to move around a flooded area close to the Yamuna river in New Delhi. Not just Taj Mahal, other monuments like the Agra Fort, Etmaduddaula, Chini ka Roza and Mehtab Bagh along the banks of the river are drawing huge crowds as well. AP

A Tibetan exile wades through a flooded monastery close to the Yamuna river in New Delhi. While most people are happy with the state of the river, those living in low-lying areas are naturally alarmed and praying for an early relief. AP

A man takes photographs outside a monastery at a flooded Tibetan market close to the Yamuna river in New Delhi. Swollen river Yamuna has washed away boundary pillars demarcating districts of Uttar Pradesh from Harayana, officials said here. AP

Yamuna river in New Delhi. The boundary pillars and fix points in eleven districts of the two states have been washed away with the river Yamuna flowing above danger mark, they said. AP

A flood-affected resident wades through floodwaters in a slum near the river Yamuna in New Delhi. AP

Civil defense persons sit near the bank of the river Yamuna, in New Delhi. AP

A man watches the rising water level of the River Yamuna in New Delhi. AP

Locals looks at the rising water level of the River Yamuna in New Delhi. AP

Residents of the inundated Tibetan locality near ISBT carry a pup as they move to safer places after water from the overflowing Yamuna floods the area, in New Delhi on Saturday. AP

A man wades through a flooded lane caused by the rising waters of the Yamuna river at the Tibetan market in New Delhi. The river water level breached the danger mark again this monsoon season due to incessant rains in the capital and surrounding areas. AFP

A flood-affected family camps near the rising River Yamuna in New Delhi. AP

A flood-affected woman sits near the rising River Yamuna in New Delhi. The River Yamuna continued to flow above the danger mark in Delhi, affecting normal life. AP

Children from a flood-affected family camping on higher ground walk near the swelling River Yamuna in New Delhi. AP

India Bans Pak Channels in Kashmir

Srinagar, Sep 16 : After banning news and current affairs programmes on local cable TV channels, authorities here on Wednesday directed cable operators in Kashmir Valley to take off air all unregistered channels including those from Pakistan.

The order to implement the directive strictly comes close on the heels of the government banning Iran-based private news channel -- Press TV -- after it aired a report about alleged desecration of a holy book in the United States, that led to violent protests leaving 18 dead.

The District Administration said it was only going by the law of the land and the orders of taking off the channels was passed in 2008.

"The order of banning all unregistered channels has been passed in 2008. We have only implemented it," District Magistrate Srinagar Meraj Ahmad Kakroo said.

A representative of the Cable Operators Association said they received directions from the state administration asking them to take off air Pakistani news and entertainment channels.

"We have also been told to stop airing religious channels, irrespective of the faith," President of the association Mohammad Amjad said.

He said the cable operators have abided by the directions of the administration and so far 19 channels have been taken off air.

Amjad also claimed that the optic fibre cable of the operators and power supply to the transmitters were being snapped off. "We fail to understand who is playing mischief by cutting the cables as a strict curfew is in place in Kashmir," he said.

Kakroo said no channel would be allowed to be aired which is not registered with the Union Information and Broadcasting Ministry as required by the law.

"It is not only about Pakistani channels ... any channel not registered with the concerned authorities will not be allowed to be aired," he said.

The state government had on Monday asked the operators to stop airing news and current affairs programmes on local cable channels, which had been curtailed to 15 minutes per day after the present unrest began on June 11.

Meanwhile, newspapers in Kashmir failed to hit the stands for the second consecutive day today due to curfew as the movement of the local scribes and technical staff of the dailies was restricted.

Source: Indian Express

Assam Sound Engineer Excited at Winning Nat Award With Resul

He has been an assistant to Resul Pookutty for eight years and when Amrit Pritam won the National Award along with the Oscar-winning sound artiste for their work in the superhit Malayalam film Keralavarma Pazhassiraja today, his joy knew no bounds.

"He has been my teacher all these years and I learnt the ABC of sound editing and designing from Resul," Pritam said.

He had worked with Resul in the Aamir Khan-starrer Ghajini.

According to the Mumbai-based Pritam who hails from Assam, he worked for nearly five months with Resul for Keralavarma Pazhassiraja.

"For months, I used to stay in the studio from Monday to Friday and went home only on Saturdays and Sundays," he told PTI.

However, there was a small glitch as Pritam's name was not announced in the press conference of the awards today. Meawnhile, Resul has already contacted the Information and Broadcasting Ministry on this.

"I spoke to the ministry and a formal rectification and announcement can be expected in a day or two," Resul said.

Meghalaya Lobby Opposes FDI in Coal Mining

By Supratim Dey

Shillong, Sep 16 : The coal mining lobby in Meghalaya, consisting coal miners and coal mine owners, has opposed foreign investment in coal mining sector in the state.

Voicing concern at a stakeholders’ meet, convened by the state government to formulate a mining policy, the coal miners and owners cautioned the state government that "heavy foreign investment will not be in the interests of local populace".

The state government plans to come up with a mining policy by next month to "systemise" mining activities in the state and to address the health, environment and labour issues. The decision came in the wake of concerns expressed by environmentalists who apprehend land degrade and forest cover depletion owing to the unscientific and indiscriminate mining.

Mining and geology minister of Meghalaya Bindu Lanong said,  "They (local miners) wanted the government to take care of small miners and their suggestions will be considered while preparing the mining policy."

"Amendments will be made in the draft to ensure that the interests of the locals are protected," Lanong said.

According to him, the proposed mining policy will "ensure that the mining mechanism is systematised and inclusive of advanced technology; that is environment and health friendly." The miners’ lobby also suggested the government not to "sidetrack" the land tenure system prevailing in the state where the coal mines are owned by private individuals.

Mining of mineral resources in Meghalaya, which is rich in coal, limestone and uranium, had always hit one or the other roadblock.

Meghalaya has over 600 million tonne of coal reserves, and around 5 million tonne are mined annually.

Meghalaya is the only state in the country where coal miners don’t need any mining lease from the government. Any individual owning coal-bearing land can extract coal and sell it in the market.

The Dubious Korean Connection

By Prasenjit Biswas

The Northeast’s extant form of globalization can be gauged from the forest of antennae and new satellite hook-ups that are exemplified by cable agents who popularize a channel such as Arirang TV.

What sets it apart from, say, Australian TV, Animal Planet or AXN, lies in the “cool” stuff it carries that affects both high and popular cultures in the region, especially Nagaland, Manipur valley and parts of Mizoram.

Even DD-I (the national channel) for the first time aired a Korean drama called Emperor of the Sea and then the MBC hit drama A Jewel in the Palace that had viewers glued to the screen.

DVD and CD shops in Nagaland and Manipur are priding themselves on their collections of Korean films, songs, information about everything Korea, starting from hairdos to Ginseng to cooking styles in mainland Korean households and restaurants.

Often the distinction between North and South is blurred in this craze for everything Korean. At the high table of tribal cultures in the Northeast, some recognize a kind of cultural and racial similarity between Korean and regional lifestyles as projected in some of the TV dramas and serials.

The archetypal Korean film or drama hero, who undergoes emotional ups and downs in the course of life-changing experiences and ends up in severe tragic flaws, fascinates the North-eastern psyche and generates instant identification.

One sees here a distinct and emergent pattern in accepting the Korean life-style which, going by Seoul standards, is in reality far too distant.

Yet in phantasmic and heroic performances, Korean small screen actors, the simplicity and soundness of Korean life, provides a catharsis to the drudgery of existence in the region.

The contrast of worldviews between Hindi pop and Korean sop lies in the latter’s instant appeal in developing experiential connections between producers and audiences across local and diasporic themes.

For example, a theme of the Korean TV show Men of the Bath House, written by Kim Soo Hyun, deals with very ordinary people who struggle in togetherness to keep alive the Confuscian value of sharing both joy and suffering in a common place, a bath house. It also recreates and reproduces the largely Asian cultural symbol of the “bath-house” prevalent from China to Japan that finds its echo in youth dormitories in Nagaland and Mizoram.

The culture of in-group decision-making and reverence for the most intelligent and diligent in a North-eastern tribal village find its more colorful parallel in the work of Lee Joo Hyun, Kim Hee Sun and others in Korean TV drama.

Like the story of how a rich grandmother drives out her granddaughter-in-law and ruins the life of her grandson, who, in turn, wrecks the lives of the women with whom he falls in love with. It evokes empathy for the “victim” as there is a submission of masculinity to the values of fidelity that still rules family life in Korea.

Apart from such TV shows, video parlors in Nagaland and Manipur find many takers for hit Korean films like My Sassy Girl, A Moment to Remember, Windstruck, My Wife is a Gangster, Silmido, Joint Security Area, Sex is Zero (a Korean version of American Pie), etc. Posters of Korean actors and actresses like Gweon Sang-woo, Cha Tae-hyun, Jeon Ji Hyun, Jung Da Bin and Song Seung Hun and many others adorn hostel rooms in colleges and universities. Even phraseology determined by Korean dialogue is frequently exchanged on the street and the youth often greet each other with anna saiyo (hello), sarange (I love you), watuke (what to do) and waju waju (yes, yes).

If this symbolizes South Korean up market stuff, North Korean imagery does not lag behind. In Kohima and Imphal, one comes across T-shirts embossed with portraits of President Kim Il Sung underscored by anti-American messages. One even hears talks of the Korean style of baking cakes during Christmas and how mouth-watering Korean bamboo shoots are.

Of course, one also knows the Koreans are not too fond of what the Nagas cherish – red chillis. But however much the Korean kitsch for satisfying a transnational palate is not really included in the North-east context, it has managed to evoke a taste for a decidedly curious reason in the region.

This rapid advance of Korean television might be enough to incense homegrown media circles – after all, how have Korean products acquired such popularity even without any direct cultural, linguistic or ethnic connections – but then there is the undoubted emergence of a “virtual neighborhood” between the Northeast and fellow Asian countries because of spaces having been electronically intervened.

These virtual neighborhoods bring home the taste of other cultures and promote an electronic reproduction of local cultures that purport to make survival possible. They surpass the spatial realm and sustain themselves by flooding the lived-in spaces of North-east tribes to exemplify the concept of connecting “distant shores”.

In analysis, the Koreanisation of the Northeast serves to point a finger at the forces that are at work in Nagaland and Manipur.

**The writer is associate professor, department of philosophy, North East Hill University, Shillong